Lucky Numbers
Do you have a lucky number? I do! I can’t attest to the fact that it is lucky for me, but ever since I can remember, my lucky number has been 3. There is no reason for it, it has nothing to do with my birthdate or any address I ever lived in, but even as a child if I was having a test in school, or a young adult going on a job interview, or as a adult facing results of a medical test, I always have someone say to me 3 time, “I wish you luck!” Maybe it originally started with the fairy tales of a genie granting you 3 wishes.
My father had a lucky number. When he was 48 years old, he suffered from repetitive kidney stone attacks. He was in agony. Before he was diagnosed, he was convinced he was dying. When the episodes of attacks was finally finished he decided that since he lived through the age of 48, he was going to reverse the numbers and aim for 84. This became his lucky number. Sadly he didn’t make it to that age.
I don’t understand why 7 isn’t my lucky number. My sister and I were born 7 years apart to the day. I always delighted in that fact, not so much my sister. I think she felt I stole some of her thunder.
My parents also died 7 years apart almost to the day. This played a part in my craziness figuring I was bound to die 7 years after my sister. Thankfully that didn’t happen. I can’t believe my sister is gone since 2016! She missed our birthday by 4 months.
My oldest grandson had a fascination with numbers from the day he was born. On the walls of his baby playroom there were letters and numbers on the wall. He would reverently touch them, over and over and announce the number. He liked the alphabet too, but not as much as the “MUMBERS.” In fact, he assigned a mumber to everyone in the family. I was number 16. He never changed your assigned number, and never forgot whose number was whose! I have to admit I was a little jealous, as MUMBER ONE was my husband!
My grandson is now 24, I wonder if he remembers who he assigned numbers to, and what the numbers were. He used to do the same thing at a community pool in the summer. He would wet his foot and then walk around the pool perimeter placing a wet footprint on the number as he announced them. I think he was disappointed that the highest number was 8ft. He told me once, “I like mumbers more than ice cream!” He since denies that statement.
Numbers and I have a love/hate relationship. It wasn’t higher mathematics that stumped me. I actually enjoyed algebra and geometry. It was plain old mathematics that threw me. I still rely on fingers to add things up, and any calculation I do must be written down. That helps, but doesn’t assure a correct answer!
